Autumn safari and why is G##d a baritone?

Lots of things have been getting in the way of sewing lately - Passover celebrations (not to mention the fitting issues a week of Matzo ball soup and flourless chocolate cakes can cause!), illness and a major job interview.

Husbie and DD2 went off to Melbourne last weekend to visit DD1 and I aspired to a lovely weekend of sewing and solitude. Came home from Sewing Guild meeting on Saturday afternoon all fired to put together my silk blouse after a silk sewing and fit workshop with Angie Zimmerman. Managed to keep it together until 9pm when I came down with the worse dose of influenza ever. One week later I'm still coughing and feeling less than average.

Easter weekend in Australia combines with Anzac Day, an extra long weekend. Great time for sewing I say to myself. Also a great time for going to movies, walking along the beach or slumping lazily in front of TV watching Charlton Heston do what Charlton did best and drinking brandy (for medicinal purposes). Why does G##d have such a deep voice?

I have managed to finish two items and am close to finishing a matching skirt which I'm calling my "Autumn safari" - it has that out of Africa feel to it and the palette is definitely Autumnal.

I am delighted with my blouse in leopard print habitai silk bought in Hong Kong. I used McCalls 5433. I thoroughly recommend this pattern, especially if you are new to full bust adjustments. I cut a 14 with an FBA an a slight additional adjustments to the back and sleeves. The result is a TNT pattern than I will definitely use again. I cut the blouse to the longer length so I could wear it as a tunic or tucked into skirt. The inside of the blouse is very good too. I used French seams, cut a bias binding from the fabric for sleeves and on the hem used a double rolled hem - a new technique taught by Angie. Rather than struggle with a rolled hem foot, turn up a single layer, stitch, trim close to the stitching line then turn up again and stitch again just below the first stitching line. Only one row of stitching is visible from the outside of the garment and it is very effective on a silk garment.

I am also pleased with my other blouse, really just a test garment made in a cheap piece of polyester bought from the charity store. I used Simplicity 2732 one of those fabulous patterns that already do the FBA for you! I made several changes to this pattern. One choice was not to include the darts which run from the hem to the bust line and at the back. I think they look really busy, especially on the busy print I used. Next time I make the blouse I will include one dart on each side to give it more shape. I also shortened the sleeves, due to lack of fabric. Overall I'm happy with the look and fit of this blouse. I'll wear it, but would like to make another in a better fabric.

I've also been working on another test garment using Simplicity 3924 (OOP). This pattern is from skinnier days and my adjustment wasn't generous enough at the waistline. It looks fine but 1) I can't tuck anything into it and 2) it is an instrument of torture. The plan, cut another blouse and leave the skirt until the ravishes of Pesach have passed over me.